Vented parachute



Juiy 23, 194%.

c. A. V OLF 'VENTED PARACHUTE Filed May 21, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l gamma3 9 c. A. VOLF VENTED PARACHUTE Filed May 21, 1942 2 ShetS-Sheet 2 cwmw77AM mi Qua Patented July 23, 1946 VEN TED PARACHUTE Christian A. Volf,Los'Angeles, Calif. Application May 21, 1942, Serial No." 443,960

This invention is a parachute, provided with vents opening automaticallyto relieve excess pressure existing below the canopy of the parachute.Parachutes provided with vents have heretofore been proposed as, forexample, in the patent t Malmer 1,777,441, dated October 7, 1930,

and Tricau 1,862,247, dated June '7, 1932. However, I have found that ifsome or all of the panels forming the canopy are provided withdiagonally extending, automatically opening vents, the performance ofthe parachute is great- 1y improved.

In the preferred form of the invention, the diagonal vents are arrangedin'end-to-end formation, thereby forming a zig-zag row extendinglaterally around the canopy. In another form 'ofthe invention, onlyevery other panel is provided with a vent, the intermediate panels beingof standard construction.

,As' noted above, the vents open .automatically to relieve excess airpressure existing below the parachute; This property is particularlyvaluable at the moment of opening the chute, which opening ordinarilygives quite a shock to the parachutist, due to the sudden checking ofthe descent. This shock is considerably lessened, according to thisinvention, by the use of the described vents, which allow excess airpressure to escape progressively as the pressure builds up. The ventsprogressively close at the pressure decreases, so that the checking ofthe parachutist is distributed over a longer time and therefore there isless shock.

Furthermore, a parachute provided with the vents as described oscillatesless and descends more nearly vertically, that is, with less lateraldrift than with the ordinary parachute. It opens very quickly and evenwith varying loads its rate of descent does not vary more than aboutfive feet a second.

.The invention will be further described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is a, plan view of ing to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a. side view;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a detail;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the parachute just after landing;and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification.

In these drawings, the canopy 2 is composed of a number of triangularpanels 4, defined by load lines or cables 6, which converge to the aparachute accordfore the cords M .ing approximately 6 Claims. (Cl. 244-142) apex of the chute, which" apex is provided with the usual airescape opening 8.

Each panel 4 is provided intermediate its ends with a diagonallyextending vent I0. Considered in plan, as in Fig. 1, the vents [0 areapproximately at 45 with respect to the lines 6. However, this angle maybe varied, as desired. Each vent is formed by providing adjacent edgesof the panel which define the vent with a suitable reinforcement I2,.asby a strong hem which may enclose a reinforcing cord, the ends of which"are secured to the cords els. The edges ofthe close together. h

'The vents are arranged in end-to-end' formation and thereby form azig-zag row extending around the parachute, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Shroud lines M of the usual type connect to the harness 16 for theparachutist.

Other shroud lines I5, secured at their upper ends as at l5, are securedto a ringll; from this ring heavy elastic straps I 9 extend to theharness I6. Cords [5 are particularly useful in opening the chute; theyare tensioned .be-

are tensioned, because of the contraction of elastic cords l9 andflatten the center of the chute and so aid in opening it.

Referring to the modification shown in Fig. 5, every other panel I8 isprovided with a vent 20, the vents in plan being angularly positioned atabout 45 to the lines 6, the vents preferably being arranged all at thesame angle. The intermediate panels 22 are not provided with vents.

By reason of the use of diagonal vents, there 6 of the respectivepanvent are usually fairly is formed an air escape zone Z, ofsubstantial horizontal area, extending both radially andcircumferentially of the canopy, this zone Z being defined betweenconcentric circles Z1 and Z2 passthrough the outer and inner ends of thevents ID or 20, Figs. 1 and 5.

The described vents will open readily when the air pressure existingbelow the canopy" exceeds a certain amount. This opening is progressive,in that the greater the pressure, the greater the opening. This isparticularly valuable in easing the shock of descent, the vents opening.Wide when the parachute is first opened and therefore descending veryrapidly. As the chute spreads the vents are wide open and. so thedescent is not checked too suddenly. As the parachute slows down, thepressure decreases and the vents gradually close, until a normal rate ofdescent is reached.

The chute of the present invention also descends with very littlelateral drift and after landing can be quickly collapsed so that thechutist is not dragged along the ground.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described insome detail, it should be understood that the invention is not limitedto such details, but may be carried out in other ways.

I claim as my invention:

1. A parachute comprising a canopy composed of panels, defined byupwardly converging load lines, certain panels being provided withdiagonally extending vents extending diagonally from one load line tothe next adjacent load line, positioned between the apex and the outeredge thereof, which vents open and close automatically and graduallyupon increase and decrease of air pressure below the parachute saidVents forming a pressure relief zone extending both radially andcircumferentially with respect to the canopy.

2. A parachute comprising a canopy having a central opening at the apexthereof, the canopy being composed of triangular panels defined byreenforcing load lines converging to said central opening, each panelbeing provided with a d-iagonally extending vent extending betweenadjacent pairs of said load lines, said vents being arranged inend-to-end formation to form a zig-zag frow extending circumferentiallyaround the canopy, said vents opening automatically to relieve excessair pressure existing below the canopy.

"3. A parachute comprising a canopy composed of panels defined byupwardly converging load lines and having a central opening at the apexthereof, every other panel, between its outer and inner ends, beingprovided with a diagonally extending vent extending diagonally from oneload line to the next adjacent load line, all said vents beingpositioned in the same relative angular position in their respectivepanels, said vents opening and closing automatically upon increase anddecrease of air pressure below the parachute said vents forming apressure relief zone extending both radially and circumferentially withrespect' to the canopy.

4. A arachute comprising a canopy including panels defined by upwardlyconverging load lines, said canopy being provided with diagonallyextending air escape vents extending diagonally from one load line tothe next adjacent load line positioned intermediate the outer edge andthe apex said vents being arranged in end-to-end formation to form azig-zag row extending circumferentially around the canopy, shroud linesextending from the outer edge of the canopy to a'body harness,additional shroud lines attached to the underside of the canopy atpoints adjacent said vents, and extending to a ring above said harness,and means attaching said ring to said .harness.

5. A parachute comprising a canopy including panels defined by upwardlyconverging load lines, said canopy being provided with diagonallyextending air escape vents extending diagonally from one load line tothe next adjacent load line positioned intermediate the outer edge andthe apex said vents being arranged in end-to-end formation to form azig-zag row extending circumferentially around the canopy, shroud linesextending from the outer edge of the canopy to a body harness,additional shroud lines attached to the underside of the canopy 'at'points adjacent said vents, and extending to a ring above saidharnes's,and elastic means for attaching said. ring to said harness.

6. A parachute comprising a canopy having a central opening at the apexthereof, the canopy being'composed of' triangular panels defined byreen'forcing load lines converging to .said central opening, every otherpanel being provided with a diagonally extending vent extending betweenad! jacent pairs of load lines, said vents extending circumferentlallyaround the canopy, said vents opening automatically to relieve excessair pressure existing below the canopy said vents forming a'pre'ssurerelief zone extending .both radially and circurnferentially with respectto the canopy.

CHRISTIAN A. VOILE;

